It’s probably just hanging out and feeling a bit lonely in your kitchen, so why not put it to some uses even when you don’t have leftovers to heat up? Regina over at The Fun Times Guide loves using her microwave for a whole lot of things. Check out a few of them:

• Sterilize garden soil before planting seedlings. Spread the soil on a flat dish and heat on high for a minute and a half.
• Cook 1 quart of pasta in 1 cup of water. For spaghetti use a little less, for penne use a little bit more. Microwave the pasta on high for about 20 minutes to cook through. This could be a good summer option when you don’t want to heat your kitchen up with the stove.
• Get more juice from citrus fruits by microwaving them for about 20 seconds before squeezing.
• Combine fabric dye with cold water and the item you’d like to dye in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on high for 4 minutes.

Check more uses for microwaves over at The Best Microwave Uses You Probably Haven’t Heard Of.